Photographic printing apparatus



April 19, 1955 c. w. F. SCOTT EIAL 2,706,436

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 1, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet lApril 19, 1955 c. w. F. SCOTT 'ETI'AL 2,706,436

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 1, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 26vfi AR? 24% (JOJ INVENTOR.

614% w F 9 0 77 M United States Patent PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUSCharles W. F. Scott, Hernpstead, and Nils G. Gustafson, Belmont, N. Y.

Application August 1, 1952, Serial No. 302,078

1 Claim. (Cl. 95-73) This invention relates to the art of photography,and irtilre particularly to an apparatus for printing by artificial Theobject of the invention is to provide a photographic printer whichincludes means for controlling the artificial lights therein whereby theintensity of light on any particular portion of the film may becontrolled to insure that an even print is produced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a printing machine whichincludes a cabinet or housing having a top hingedly connected thereto,there being a pair of horizontally disposed spaced parallel glass platesarranged in the housing, the machine of the present invention includinga latching means for insuring that the cover or top is held tightly inclosed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a photographic printingmachine which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the printing machine,constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the machine of the presentinvention.

Figure 3 is a top plan view with the cover open, and with parts brokenaway and in section.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view with the base plate removed.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken through the machine of thepresent invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a housingor cabinet which may be fabricated of any suitable material, and thehousing 10 includes a horizontally disposed bottom wall 11. Arranged inspaced parallel relation below the bottom wall 11 and detachablyconnected thereto is a base plate 12. Thus, the base plate 12 may beremoved in order to gain access to the wires arranged thereabove. Thehousing 10 further includes a front wall 14 and arranged in spacedparallel relation with respect to the front wall 14 is a back wall orrear wall 15.

The housing 10 further includes spaced parallel vertically disposed sidewalls 16 and 17, Figure 5. A cover 18 is hingedly connected to thehousing, and the cover 18 is mounted for movement into and out ofclosing relation with respect to the open top of the housing. Carried bythe undersurface of the cover or lid 18, in any suitable manner, as forexample by a suitable adhesive, is a pad 19 which may be made of aresilient material such as foam rubber.

Extending inwardly from the side and front and rear walls is a pluralityof horizontally disposed securing elements such as screws 20, and thescrews 20 provide a support for a ground glass plate 21.

Arranged in spaced parallel relation above the ground glass plate 21 isa clear glass plate 22, the plate 22 being supported on flanges 23.

Mounted in suitable sockets within the housing 10 is a plurality oflight bulbs 24, and dark room bulbs 25. A manually operable switch 26 ismounted in the side wall 16 for selectively controlling actuation of thebulbs within the housing. Supported by the front wall 14 is a pluralityice 2 of manually operable switches 27 which are adapted to control thevarious bulbs arranged within the housing. The switches may beelectrically connected to the bulbs by means of suitable conductors 30,28, 29, and 31, and suitable bus bars 32 may be arranged contiguous tothe wires 28 through 31. The bus bars 32 and wires may be interposedbetween the bottom wall 11 and the base plate 12. The photographicprinting machine of the present invention can be electrically connectedto a suitable source of electrical energy. Arranged within the housing10 and supported by the front wall 14 is a button switch 35 which isadapted to be actuated by a button 36 which will later be described inthis application.

A bracket 34 is secured to the rear wall 15 and formed integral with thebracket 34 or secured thereto is a pair of spaced apart lugs 37, Figure2. Each of the lugs 37 is provided with a slot for the projectiontherethrough of a pivot pin or bolt 39. Arranged contiguous to each ofthe slotted lugs 37 is an apertured end or apertured ear 38 which alsohas the pivot bolt 39 extending therethrough. The ears 38 represent orconstitute the ends of a pair of bars 40 which are arranged in spacedparallel relation with respect to each other. The bars 40 extend acrossthe top of the cover 18 and are secured thereto in any suitable manner.Suitable braces 41 extend between the bars 40 and are secured theretofor maintaining the bars 40 in their proper spaced relationship withrespect to each other.

For maintaining the rear end of the cover 18 tightly closed on thehousing, a pair of coil springs 43 are provided, and the upper ends ofthe coil springs 43 may be arranged in engagement with the pivot bolt39. The lower ends of the coil springs 43 are connected to extensions 42which project from a collar 43 that is formed integral with or securedto the bracket 34.

Pivotally connected to the front end of the bars 40 is a handle member44. The handle member 44 includes a pair of arms 45 which are pivotallyconnected to the front ends of the bars 40 by suitable securing elementssuch as pivot pins 46. A block 47 is interposed between the pair of arms45 and secured thereto.

A latch or locking means is carried by the handle and the latching meansincludes a prong 48 which extends from the block 47 and the prong 48 isadapted to extend into or through an opening 49 in the front wall 14 ofthe housing 10. The prong 48 is adapted to coact with a roller 50 whichis mounted in the front wall, whereby the cover 18 will be maintained inits locked position. A finger 51 is carried by the block 47, and thefinger 51 is is adapted to engage the button 36 when the handle 44 is inthe position shown in Figure 6 whereby the switch 35 will be actuated.

Extending from the pair of arms 45 is a pair of spaced parallel rods 52which support a cylindrical hand grip 53 therebetween whereby the handlemember 44 can be readily manipulated.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that a photographic printer has beenprovided which includes the cover 18 that will eliminate prematureexposures and the switches can be operated either by the left or righthand. The safety lock including the prong 48 and roller 50 insure thatthe exposure will be protected and color contact can be accomplished.Furthermore, the various parts such as the upper glass plate 22 and thediffusion glass plate 21 as well as the bulbs can be removed when theparts are to be cleaned. Furthermore, condensation or overheating isprevented and either A. C., D. C., or storage battery or home generatorscan be used for actuating the machine. Any type light bulb can be usedin the lighting system, and the construction of the present inventioninsures that there will be maximum performance with a minimum of cost.The machine can be built in various sizes and if desired foot operationcan be used therewith. The present invention will save time and willalso insure that dense negatives are penetrated. Furthermore, themachine can be operated simply and is portable and light or it can beset so that it remains stationary. Viewing facilities are provided foruse while the switches are manually operated and the negative and/orpaper is held under tension to prevent accidental movement thereof.Furthermore, permanent masking facilities are provided and there is nopossibility of exposure without contact.

In use, the paper is placed on the top of the plate 21 and the lid ortop 18 is closed whereby the lights go on after which the top is openedand the lights go off. Thus, in itially the negatives are put on theclear plate 22 and then the button switch.35 is held in its openposition with the users or operators finger. Then, the switches 27 areused for actuating the bulbs 24 in order to provide the best exposure.Then, the button 36 of the switch 35 is released whereby all of thelights go off and then the sensitized paper is put on top of thenegative. Then, the lid 18 is put down and the operator grips the grip53 and causes the prong 48 to enter the opening 49 to insure that thecover 18 fits down very tightly on the housing. Immediately thereafterthe finger 51 contacts the button 36 so that the lights will be actuatedand as soon as pressure is released on the grip 53, the finger 51 willmove away from the button 36 so that the lights within the housing willgo off. The springs 43 in the rear of the housing insure that the backportion of the lid 18 is held down tightly on the housing.

The small bulbs 25 are dark room lights and the entire operation isaccomplished in the dark preferably. The large bulbs 24 are cold lightswhich do not give off any heat but do provide a large amount of light.The switch 26 on the side of the housing serves to operate the smalldark room lights and the dark room lights 25 may be left on all thetime. Furthermore, the large bulbs 24 are preferably connected inelectrical series through the switches so that all of the bulbs 24 arein a series connection with the switches. Thus, by cutting on or oilcertain of the bulbs 24 by means of the switches 27, the operator canget a good even light over the entire negative. In adjusting themachine, the operator holds his or her finger on the button 36 and whileholding this button in, the switches 27 are operated until an evendistribution of light over the entire negative is obtained to bring outany particular features of the negative. By means of the presentinvention there is no possibility that the lights will go on too soon orthat the paper will slip.

We claim:

A photographic printer comprising a box-like housing having anupstanding wall and an open top, a cover hingedly carried by the housingto enclose the top, a plurality of light bulb sockets disposed withinthe housing,

manually operable presetting switches mounted on the exterior of thehousing and connected to the sockets for controlling the illumination ofbulbs in the sockets, a horizontally disposed ground glass plate mountedin the housing, means in the housing supporting the ground glass plate,a clear glass plate mounted in said housing in parallel spaced relationabove said ground glass plate, a master button switch mounted on saidwall of the housing interiorly thereof and connecting the switches to asource of electrical energy, a handle pivotally connected to the coyerat one edge and adapted to depend therefrom when the cover is in itsclosed position, said handle paralleling the wall in such position, aprong extending laterally from the handle, said wall having an openingof a diameter to slidably receive in light sealed fashion the prong whenthe cover is closed and the handle is arranged parallel with the wall inadjacency thereto, frictional locking means carried by said wall on theinside thereof for locking engagement with the prong, and a rigid fingerprojecting laterally from the handle in the same direction as the prongand paralleling the prong, said wall having an opening aligned with thebutton of the button switch receiving the finger which lies below theprong and is of less length than the prong so that the finger depressesthe button to actuate the button switch after the prong is lockinglyengaged by the frictional locking means and the bulbs that have been setfor potential illumination by the pre-setting switches aresimultaneously illuminated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

